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History

The Sodor and Mainland Railway originally attempted to cut a tunnel through the Ballahoo Ridge, but it collapsed during construction, resulting in the railway only running trains between Kirk Ronan and Ballahoo.

After its founding in 1915, the North Western Railway constructed its own tunnel in order to reach Vicarstown. The NWR was built as a strategic railway in time of emergency. Speed and cheapness of construction were paramount, so a single line bore only was cut, and the Up and Down lines gauntletted. While work was in progress a section midway collapsed leaving two tunnels (the Western - 1 mile, and the Eastern, or Henry’s - 450 yards).

The tunnel gained its nickname in 1922 after Henry refused to come out, claiming the rain would spoil his "lovely green paint with red stripes" and was subsequently bricked up. A second bore was cut alongside to provide a double line and Henry was eventually let out sometime in 1923 to help with the express. In 2011, the tunnel collapsed but was repaired in time for the unveiling of the Thin Clergyman's bust at Tidmouth.